She owed him
by prouvairing
Summary: "I believe you owe me, now." Aang had kissed her once and she'd never had the chance to return the favor.  Kataang oneshot


**A/N:** So, hi! This isn't my first Avatar fanfiction, but it's certainly the first one to officially leave the secret-fanfiction-folder on my laptop (c'mon, you know you all have one!), so… I'm understandably nervous! Not much to say, except for the fact that it's just some completely out-of-the-blue Kataang fluff. Kind of just testing the waters in this fandom? Yeah, you could say that. Hope you enjoy reading even just half as much as I enjoyed writing~

**Disclaimer:** No, I didn't turn into Mike, or Bryan, or anyone from Nickelodeon overnight. So I don't own Avatar and all its characters.

* * *

Truth was she had rehearsed it. She had made up a pretty little speech about what an idiot she'd been. About how scared and foolish she'd been, how she never wanted to see that pained expression on his face again and she was sorry, so sorry, and she hoped he would forgive her… And oh, she loved him. She really did.

But then she stepped in the sun-kissed balcony, saw him look out to the busy streets of Ba Sing Se and the words just vanished from her mind.

Katara was filled with an utter sense of peace, as she walked out into the sun, leaving the chattering of her family behind. It was the brilliant feeling of everything finally clicking into place, and she held onto it for dear life, as she watched the boy dressed in yellow, standing with his gaze lost in the distance.

Aang had sensed her presence then, and looked at her with eyes clear from any pain and anguish. Grey eyes that were shining, satisfied and content.

And she had no doubts, no fears, as she took him in her arms like she'd done countless times before.

Katara had no words to give him, but it didn't matter. He'd never given her words either, she thought.

Aang had kissed her once –two times, really, but she'd rather not think about the second one- and she'd never had the chance to return the favor.

So Katara kissed him, as the sun went down and burned bright orange behind them, and she hoped he would get the message.

_I'm not confused anymore._

And then she felt Aang's arm sneak around her waist as she gently caressed his cheek. She smiled when he kissed her back eagerly.

She didn't know how long they stayed like that, holding each other as if their lives depended on that, but she wasn't really surprised to find that the sky had already begun turning to a soft shade of indigo when they broke apart.

A broad, boyish grin was pulling at Aang's lips as he looked at her and Katara felt herself smile back.

"Hi," he sighed and his dreamy expression made her chuckle.

"Hi," she replied, tracing the line of his cheek with one finger. She felt it heat up and smirked at him as she flushed too.

"I believe we're even now," Katara whispered with a playful glint in her eyes. Aang cocked one eyebrow and then grinned apologetically as he understood the meaning behind her words.

"About that…"

He was blocked by Katara's finger brushing against his lips, silencing him. She shook her head and wove her free hand with his.

"I'm sorry," she said in a whisper.

"I'm sorry, too!" he responded anxiously. "I shouldn't have pushed you liked that. I should've given you space."

Katara squeezed his hand tighter. "And I shouldn't have been so scared."

He offered a small smile, which she returned. They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, their fingers intertwined, eyes locked.

"So," Katara began softly. "We're okay?"

Aang beamed at her and she saw a glimpse of the goofy boy she used to know. He rested her forehead to hers. "Yeah, we're okay," he murmured back.

She sighed contentedly and then caught sight of the mischievous smile that was stretching on his lips. That wasn't a smile she would see on the face of a goofy boy and for some reason it made her heart beat a little louder.

"What?"

He didn't answer. Instead, his hand found its way behind her neck and he pulled her into a kiss that made her weak at the knees. Where in the world had he learned to do that, she wondered.

When he pulled away, that wild grin was still there and Katara's face felt really warm. Well, he had the decency to blush himself, at least.

"I believe you owe me, now," Aang said cheerfully and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Katara laughed and rolled her eyes. And then she kissed his smile.

_Well, she _had_ to fix that, didn't she?_

_

* * *

_

She could hear very little over the sound of the battle raging around them. So, at first, she thought she'd heard wrong. Or at least she _hoped_ she had.

"What do you mean 'we have to split up'?"

Aang turned around from his post on Appa's head and looked at her with pleading eyes. He'd grown so much in the past two years; it was almost unbelievable that he was the same skinny kid she'd saved from the Iceberg. He towered a good half-head over her now -something that would never stop making him smile smugly- and though he was still lean-built, the muscle result of years of training was well visible.

But she wasn't dwelling on that now. She was staring at his anguished, soot-smeared face as he was about to leave her behind.

"I have to go where their leader is. And I need you to stay here to guide the others."

She looked down from the bison and saw her brother and Toph keeping the rebels at bay, with the help of the Fire Army troops. Aang's grey eyes were wide and sincere, so she knew he really wasn't playing the part of the protective boyfriend. He needed her to stay... And he needed to leave her.

He took her hand, both of them standing on Appa's back, and his eyes bore into hers. "It's going to be okay."

Katara nodded but her insides where twisting. What if he got hurt and she wasn't there to heal him? What if...

"Aang..." she began, squeezing his hand tight, but he never let her finish.

"I know," he interrupted her, his pained expression mirroring hers. He drew her near and she held him, her fingers digging in his shoulders, wishing she'd never have to let go. He pulled away slightly and managed to flash a ghost of that boyish smile she loved.

"Don't worry," he whispered and then kissed her. She could tell he was pouring every emotion he'd ever felt for her in that kiss, for the mere fact that he wasn't sure he'd be able to do so later. They didn't know if there would be a 'later'. So she let her arms fasten around his neck and his fingers tangle in her hair for just one moment, for as long as it was allowed before they'd have to break apart. When they did, that knowing smile of his was still there, along with a playful glint in his eye that was completely out of place. She had a slight sense of déjà vu. Then he murmured three little words that almost made her smile with him.

A moment later he was gone, soaring through the smoky sky on his glider, and the wind was pulling at her hair as she watched him go. She felt like that day on the subs, so many years ago, especially as Sokka yelled for her attention from below and she swiftly shifted from parting girlfriend to fighting warrior. Katara led Appa down to where the battle still raged, drawing her bending water from her pouch.

One thought was sitting at the side of her mind. It was a silly thought, and yet she held onto it, and it felt like her last lifeline. It was there, with those three words that still rang in her ears.

"You owe me."

_He couldn't die while she still owed him._

"_Is this the end of the moment?  
Or just a beautiful unfolding  
of a love that will never be?  
Or maybe… Be?"_

_

* * *

_

**A/N cont'd:** Oh, the song at the end is "Anywhere but here" by SafetySuit and it was playing in the background as I wrote… So it kind of took an honor place at the end (and , by the way, I don't own that either!)  
And of course, let me know what you think!


End file.
